Sega Genesis Look - Rolo to the Rescue

Apologies in advance for kicking off another review with an elderly rant, but I'm not getting any younger. The grey hairs have started arriving in force. You've heard of wing tips, right? Currently, I'm rocking the one-winged tip. My advancing age has brought about this compulsion to tell kids about gaming back in the day. We didn't have Roblox and the infinite hours of child labor entertainment it provides. The few of us who could afford game systems were rarely able to own any games. Every weekend was spent hoping the rental store had something worthwhile. Otherwise, I was stuck with Sonic the Hedgehog, Kid Chameleon, or James Pond for the zillionth time. Goddamned James Pond. Can you believe that lousy piece of junk didn't even have a final boss? No epic confrontation with the villainous Dr. Maybe? Gaming in the past was a sadness parade.

You're probably wondering where Rolo to the Rescue fits into this nonsense story. Originally, I was planning to work in the line "We didn't have Roblox! We had Rolo!" but couldn't bring myself to publish something that brilliant. No, my memories of this 1993 puzzle-platformer by Vectordean are a little more pleasant than one might expect. Back then, I had such a high opinion of it that I rented it twice! The music was okay, the graphics weren't eye-searing, and there were secrets. Give my younger self a game packed with hidden levels, and I'd probably ignore all of its problems (Sorry James Pond 3, but you flew way too close to the sun). What can I say about Rolo after 30 yea... uh... after 3 decad... umm... after some time has passed? Well, it's a weird little adventure; dated in ways even I can't appreciate, but I don't regret my time spent with it... that much. 

Rolo is an elephant who jumps, runs exceptionally fast, and shrinks in the wash. Give him some fizzy drinks and he'll fire spritzes of seltzer at the evil circus troupe that captured his friends. Toss him a vacuum and his trunk can suck in certain objects. He's basically Ellie from Donkey Kong Country 3, except worse. Something that players will quickly learn the hard way is that this platformer has no concept of coyote time. Get accustomed to hitting the jump button (B) at least a few frames before Rolo reaches the edge of a ledge. Oh, and don't even use the run button (hold A) unless you're absolutely certain it's required. Here's one of those rare 16-bit games I'd describe as dash-unfriendly. Rolo's woefully large hurtbox and wet-paper durability are more than sufficient reasons to take it slow. When all else fails, head to whichever stage has extra lives that are easiest to reach and stock up. 

Throughout most levels are the friends that Rolo has to rescue. They're locked in cages, so first you'll have to hunt down some jerk in large hat to get the key. Friends come in multiple shapes and have their own powers. Mostly though, it's an excuse to shake up the monotony by having a squirrel climb a wall or a beaver cross a lake. Puzzles usually aren't too complex, and the hardest levels almost always involve excessive platforming or boss battling. Speaking of, I hope you like - or at least tolerate - blind jumps, because there will be a few. Mainly, what keeps even the worst level from becoming frustrating is their short length. On the oft chance that a level runs longer than usual, then you're liable to have at least a couple friends who'll take a hit for Rolo. 

A detail that I've noticed during my recent playthrough is the game's fondness for specific actions. There's plenty of moments where Rolo has to stand in an expect spot or jump at the right moment to avoid death. A level that immediately comes to mind involves biting traps. These toothy abominations leap at anything that gets close. Running, ducking, or attempting to jump over them is a guaranteed death. Anyone trying to survive must hop as they approach the sharp-toothed fiend, hopefully fooling them into leaping overhead. This technique is used a few times - all in the same level - and never again. These and other instances point to a game that isn't afraid to experiment, but not in a way that feels playful. Either you figure out what's expected of you, or a baby elephant dies. It's a little harsh.

If this was intended to be a kid's game, then I have to question the existence of its final boss. He's the Evil Circus Master, and he does not mess around. His very first attack is a massive jolt of lightning that bounces all over the screen. Hide in the corner or die and start over. Next up is an easy-to-avoid spread of flying heads. Finally, he sends homing balls that'll take a few or a dozen lives before their pattern can be figured out. Let me remind you that Rolo is a big target, so there's no such thing as a near-miss. Players who finally destroy their captor but don't rescue every friend are treated to a dark ending where they're never truly happy again. Hmm... Well, I suppose Rolo to the Rescue is as much a kid's game as Watership Down is a kid's movie.  

Considering its annoying controls and uneven difficulty, I needed some time to think about what my younger self saw in this two-rental game. My conclusion is that Rolo's adventure offers enough failure and success to make its players feel like they've accomplished something. It has the satisfaction of discovery without demanding a guidebook to find everything. Then again, it's not as if my rental shop had a stellar Genesis selection. With there being countless better choices available today, it's hardly any wonder why it took 30 ye... 3 dec... a little while before I decided to give this game another play.